tracked leader, pushed along after 3 out, soon outpaced and dropped to 3rd, headway to challenge 2 out, led before last, kept on well run-in
led, headed before 2 out, soon weakened
tracked leaders in 3rd, challenged before 2 out, soon led, ridden and headed before last, kept on and held run-in
Great Link arrives in good form having followed up his Ludlow win with victory in an all-weather maiden at Wolverhampton. But he's going to find it tough here conceding weight all round and MAKHZOON looks the one to beat. He's been competing in much better company and his latest second over a longer trip at Ayr is a cut above anything achieved lately by his rivals. Hunters Belt also has his sights lowered but was tailed off when falling over fences here last time and Belle De Fontenay has had her limitations exposed recently. Rare Coincidence faces an impossible task at the weights.
Makhzoon (USA) 8-1 (10-8) Led, headed 2 out, ridden before last, rallied run-in, kept on and held towards finish, 2nd of 7, 3l behind Trucking Along (11-7) at Ayr 2m 5f hcp hdl 0-140 (3) hvy.
Belle De Fontenay (FR) 5-1 (11-0) Held up in last, cloing when not clear run approaching last (normal 3 out), soon no impression, weakened 2f out, 5th of 6, 21l behind The Jugopolist (10-10) at Leicester 2m 4f sell hdl (5) hvy.
Hunters Belt (IRE) 28-1 (11-5) In rear, mistake 5th, struggling 7th, lost touch when fell 10th, in a race won by Diocles (10-12) at Catterick 2m 3f nov hcp chs (0-125) (3) gd in Dec, 5 ran.
Great Link 7-2 (11-3) Tracked leaders, headway to lead 3 out, driven before last, kept on, won at Ludlow 2m nov clm hdl (4) gd in Dec beating Rolling Dough (10-1) by 2 3/4l, 11 ran.
Rare Coincidence 12-1 (10-12) Led until 8th, weakened before 2 out, 7th of 12, 41l behind Pete (10-12) at Cartmel 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-95 (5) gd in Aug.
